Roy and Ellie Schaefer’s Atta Boy Roy will take his act to California Sunday for the $300,000 Ancient Title Stakes, Grade I, at Oak Tree, a six-furlong test in which the winner automatically qualifies for the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Sprint Nov. 7.

Trainer Valorie Lund has Atta Boy Roy training at Turf Paradise, where the colt has already recorded two bullet workouts, including an off-the-charts half-mile drill in 44 4/5 seconds on Oct. 4. Ricky Frazier will again have the mount in the Ancient Title.

For sheer speed, Atta Boy Roy is one of the fastest thoroughbreds in the history of the state. His three sprints at Emerald Downs in 2009, all victories, were breathtakingly fast, and he was recognized as the meet’s Top Sprinter and Top Washington-Bred.

Atta Boy Roy was dazzling. The 4-year-old Washington bred by Tribunal won an allowance race by 10-½ lengths tying Starbird Road’s track record of 1:07 2/5 for six furlongs. He then defeated Horse of the Meeting Assessment while winning the 6-½ furlong Governor’s Handicap in 1:14 1/5. And finally, he broke Grey Papa’s legendary 37-year-old state record while winning the Chinook Pass Sprint in an almost unreal 1:07 for six furlongs.

In between, Atta Boy Roy ran well in the Longacres Mile. He wound up fifth, while setting the fastest fractions the race had ever seen, :21 4/5, :44, 1:07 3/5, despite throwing a shoe on the backstretch.